Megan Rapinoe Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 5 ft 6 in |
Weight | 60 kg |
Date of Birth | July 5, 1985 |
Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
Girlfriend | Suzanne Brigit Bird |
Megan Rapinoe is an American professional soccer player who has captained Reign FC in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and has co-captained the women’s national soccer team where she is renowned for her crafty play as a winger. She starred in her country’s World Cup triumphs in 2015 and 2019 and won a Gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Megan was honored with both the ‘Ballon d’Or Féminin’ and ‘The Best FIFA Women’s Player’ awards in 2019.
Born Name
Megan Anna Rapinoe
Nick Name
Pinoe, Rapinho, Rapinohdinho
Sun Sign
Cancer
Born Place
Redding, Shasta County, California, United States
Residence
Seattle, Washington, United States
Nationality
Education
Megan had attended and graduated from the Foothill High School in her hometown of Redding. She then attended the University of Portland in Oregon where she used to play for the University team on a full scholarship.
Occupation
Professional Soccer Player
Family
- Father – Jim Rapinoe (Former Armyman)
- Mother – Denise Kimball
- Siblings – Rachael Rapinoe (Twin Sister) (Former Soccer Player), Brian Rapinoe (Older Brother)
- Others – Michael (Half-Brother), Jenny (Half-Sister), John Joseph “Jack” Rapinoe (Paternal Grandfather) (Former Armyman), Michael R. Rapino (Paternal Great Grandfather), Lucille L. Lepore (Paternal Great Grandmother), Giovanni Antonio “John” Rapino (Paternal Great Great Grandfather), Teresa Casalanguida (Paternal Great Great Grandmother), Giuseppe Michael “Joseph” Lepore (Paternal Great Great Grandfather), Josephine Pierlato (Paternal Great Great Grandmother), Irene E (Paternal Grandmother)
Shirt Number
15 – USA, Reign FC
Playing Position
Midfielder, Winger
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 6 in or 167.5 cm
Weight
60 kg or 132 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Megan Rapinoe has dated –
- Sarah Walsh (2009–2013)
- Sera Cahoone (2014-2017)
- Suzanne “Sue” Brigit Bird (2016-Present) – In 2016, the athletes Suzanne “Sue” Brigit Bird and Megan had started dating after they met during the 2016 Rio Olympics. They got engaged after 4 years of dating in late 2020.
Race / Ethnicity
White
She is of Italian, Irish, and English descent.
Hair Color
Blonde
She often tends to dye her hair pink, silver, or purple.
Eye Color
Hazel
Sexual Orientation
Lesbian
Distinctive Features
- Has a tattoo on her right wrist and one on her left arm
- Infectious smile
- Toned physique
- ‘Arms Spread Wide’ goal celebration
- Short-cropped, neck-length, dyed hair
Brand Endorsements
Megan has served as the brand ambassador for brands like –
- Wildfang
- Nike
- Samsung
She has appeared in the TV commercials for –
- Nike
- Wildfang
- Energy Brands’ Vitamin Water
She has been sponsored by –
- Nike
- Procter & Gamble
- BodyArmor
- Hulu
- LUNA Bar
- Samsung
- DJO Global
- VISA
Megan Rapinoe Favorite Things
- Article Of Clothing – Beanie
- Travel Accessory – Neck Pillow
- Gadget – iPod
- Interests/Hobbies – Playing the Guitar, Shopping, Traveling, Listening to Music
- Beverage – Coffee
Source – Team USA, Facebook
Megan Rapinoe Facts
- Her family name was originally Rapino which with time, got changed to Rapinoe.
- Megan’s pin-point accurate cross to teammate Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute of the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinal against Brazil helped the United States level the match and eventually win the game via a penalty shootout. This last-minute goal was awarded ESPN’s ‘ESPY Award for Best Play of the Year’ in 2011.
- After the 2011 World Cup, where the United States had finished as runners-up, her hometown of Redding had honored her with a parade and had named September 10 as ‘Megan Rapinoe Day’.
- She holds the record for being the first soccer player, male or female, to score a goal directly from a penalty corner at the Olympic Games. The feat was achieved at the 2012 London Olympics.
- In 2015, Megan was inducted into the ‘National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame’.
- She courted controversy and gained national attention when she decided to kneel during the national anthem at an international match in September 2016. The act was in solidarity with NFL (National Football League) player Colin Kaepernick who had gained tremendous infamy for several similar acts in protest against racial inequality and police brutality in the United States.
- She was featured, along with her national teammates, in the EA Sports’ video game FIFA 16. This was the first time that the female players were included in the game. In September 2015, EA Sports ranked her at number 2 in its list of “Leading Female Soccer Players”, just behind her teammate Carli Lloyd.
- She has been actively involved in the demand for pay parity since 2016 and in March 2019, she, along with 27 of her teammates filed a lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation accusing it of gender discrimination.
- In September 2017, she became the first female player to sign up for the “Common Goal” campaign created by soccer player Juan Mata. The campaign aids soccer-related charities through the funds generated by soccer stars who donate 1% of their wages to the campaign.
- At the 2019 World Cup in France, she achieved the rare feat of winning both the ‘Golden Boot’ (most goals scored) and the ‘Golden Ball’ (player of the tournament) awards.
- Megan is also widely known for activism, especially her advocacy for numerous LGBT organizations such as Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and Athlete Ally. She was honored with the ‘Board of Directors Award’ by the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center in 2013.
- In 2018, Megan and her partner Sue Bird became the first same-s*x couple to be featured on the cover of ESPN’s magazine The Body Issue.
- In 2019, she co-founded a gender-neutral lifestyle brand named re-inc. She is also the co-founder of the Rapinoe Brand, an online clothing store.
- In June 2021, along with Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Adut Akech, Eileen Gu, Amanda de Cadenet, Paloma Elsesser, and Valentina Sampaio, Megan was announced as a member of Victoria’s Secret‘s “VS Collective”.
- In July 2022, Megan was honored with the “Presidential Medal of Freedom”.
- In March 2023, Megan’s name was listed in TIME Magazine‘s “Women of the Year” list.
- In July 2023, Megan revealed that she had decided to retire as a professional soccer player at the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League season.
Featured Image by Lorie Shaull / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0